62 HORSEMANSHIP FOR WOMEN. 



ly and steadily, though not stiffly, in place, while the 

 waist, with the back bent slightly inward, should be as 

 flexible as possible, and the whole upper part of the 

 person pliant and supple, so as to yield with a certain 

 nonchalance to every movement. 



Nervous riders, like nervous horses, are those in 

 whom involuntary muscular contractions persist the 

 most obstinately. 



As both of the horse's strides are equal when the 

 trot is true, it seems nonsense to talk, as some writers 

 do, about the "leading foot'' in trotting; and except 

 that few horses are so perfectly symmetrical that both 

 strides are equally elastic, there should be no difference 

 to a man on which one he " rises," and he will there- 

 fore spare that foot and leg which, for any cause, he 

 may suppose to be the weaker. A lady will without 

 effort find the stride best suited to her. 



Horses are often trained in our Western States to 

 trot when the rider touches the back of their neck, 

 and to single-foot or pace when he makes play gently 

 with the curb- bit. These signals are injudicious, be- 

 cause in harness a slight movement of the bit sets the 

 horse so trained to single-footing, and there is no way 

 to communicate to him your wish that he should trot. 

 It is better, therefore, to give the signal to trot by 

 taking a firm hold of the snaffle, and laying your whip 

 gently on his hind-quarter while } t ou incite to speed 

 with your heel. 



